“Distance.”

“From me?”

“From the role you expected me to play.”

He started to respond. I ended the call.

Chapter 8 — She Never Makes a Scene

The legal process moved much slower than family gossip. Within days, everyone had their own version of the story. Eleanor insisted I had abandoned Thanksgiving after Daniel calmly suggested an adult conversation.

His sister claimed the announcement had simply been poorly timed and that my leaving proved the marriage was already failing. One cousin insisted Natalie was only an emotional connection, not an affair.